


Forest Deep

by FlimFlamming



Category: Original Work
Genre: F/F, F/M, Multi, Original Character(s), Original Fiction, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-21
Updated: 2020-08-21
Packaged: 2021-03-06 22:21:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,857
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26026381
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FlimFlamming/pseuds/FlimFlamming
Summary: Cassidy and Gabriella have been vacationing at the same beachside getaway since high school. However, the sea seems a little deeper this summer.
Kudos: 1





	1. The Ocean Through The Trees

This was going to be my fourth summer spent at Gabriella’s beach house. We started this whole shebang the summer after we graduated high school, and thankfully stayed close enough friends to continue it through college. We’re pretty different people, but both kind enough to fit together.

Gabriella’s brought different people along as well over the years; Boyfriends, sorority sisters, girlfriends, cousins, other friends, and the occasional sibling. But she and I always stayed another few weeks at the end of the summer.

The lineup this summer went as follows; Matt (a recent fling of Gabriella’s, a quarterback for the football team at her university, and an all-around golden retriever of a person), Yasmin (Gabbi’s friend from her sophomore year literature course, a crystal-toting hippie, and the definition of an Instagram baddie), and James. I didn’t really know much about James. I think Gabriella had gone on a tinder date with him last fall? I couldn’t quite remember. Her social was hard to keep up with sometimes.

I had to come a week later than everyone else this year. I was redoing the plumbing in my house and didn’t want something to go wrong while I was away, so I hung out for a while and kept working. Sure enough, a toilet had overflowed randomly and I had to call up the plumber again. But soon I deemed it good enough for me to leave, so I piled myself, my extensive collection of sundresses, and my dog, Pappy, into my truck and was on my way.

As Pappy and I cruised down the highway, Hozier blared from the stereo. I was undeniably excited.

After an hour or so, I was finally driving down the familiar road to one of my favorite places in the world. The smooth paved road became cracked and eventually, we were bouncing over a poorly-defined dirt road. Pine trees lined the road, tall and straight, and the afternoon sunlight flickered between them into the truck. Pappy, who knew where we were headed by now, had stuck his head out the window and was slobbering excitedly onto the road. Eventually, we began passing by house after house, each brightly colored with gardens full of flowers. We passed the small, broken-down grocery store that had provided Gabbi and me with everything from lemonade to tires over the years. The road winded up and down a few hills after that until finally, you could see the ocean through the trees.


	2. Reunion

When I finally arrived at the deep green cottage, I honked the horn a couple of times, so that even someone by the shore would know that I was here and ready to rumble. I pulled into the gravel driveway, honked a few more times just to be sure that there was no mistaking my arrival, and hopped out of my truck, Pappy in tow. And then there came a shrill voice from the beach.

“Cassssssssyyyyyyyy!” There she was. Gabriella in all her bleach blonde, beauty queen glory. “You’re finally here! Now the fun really starts!” She hugged me tightly, despite obviously having just come out of the water.

“Hey! You’re soaking me!” I laughed as I pushed her away by the shoulders. Her response was, of course, to flip her waterlogged curls at me. “Come on! At least let me change first.”

“I missed you, ya dork! It’s been too long. Lemme get a look at you!” She took a few steps back, inspecting me from head to toe. “Still rocking the cargo shorts I see. Practical and tactical.”

“Lay off, my sundresses are in my luggage. I have a reputation to maintain around my neighbors.”

“True, but so are those swim trunks from the Walmart men’s section, I’d bet.”

“Well, you happen to be betting wrong.” I triumphantly tugged my duffel bag from the truck bed.

“Really? Do tell”

“Well, I had some spending money saved up, so I finally bought that Mara Hoffman one-piece I’ve been eyeing since high school.”

“The black one? That’s so exciting! Have you tried it on yet? Does it fit well? Do you feel good in it?” Gabbi was gushing. She was always so enthusiastic about my interests (in this case, sustainable designer fashion) that I couldn’t help to openly grin.

“Yeah, it’s great. I wore it to the public pool when I was babysitting Jenny’s kids a few weeks back and I didn’t even bring a cover-up!”

“Omigosh! I’m so proud of you!”

“Yah it was, well, it felt pretty good. It’s been forever since I’ve gone swimming without a shirt on.” She smiled at me with obvious pride in her expression. I felt my face redden a bit, and I let my mind wander, as I often did when seeing her after a long time.

Gabbi was always very affectionate towards me. It was a big difference from my friends back in town. I worked as a farmhand in our small hometown, so most of the people around me were middle-aged men whose only hobbies were sitting at the bar reminiscing about high school football. My work hired the occasional migrant worker for the summer, and they were always kind, industrious people, but there were often language barriers, and not many were too keen to hang out with me. My point being, I stick out like a sore thumb most of the time. 

Gabbi used to be the same. Our high school was small and conservative, with enough confederate flags displayed on walls and backpacks and lockers to make anyone immediately suspicious. I didn’t not doubt that Gabbi felt uncomfortable there, as she was the only student who wasn’t white. However, her aggressively positive personality had earned her at least an honorary spot among the “popular crowd.” I was a tall, fat teenager with a complicated gender identity, alternative style, and colored hair. Needless to say, I was not very popular with my fellow students. However, the teachers adored me. I was so anxious about my appearance and personality that I coped by trying to be a model student. 

Gabbi and I met because she was failing her art history class. I was an art history wiz due to my habit of deeply obsessing over very niche topics for months at a time. I was nervous because to me she was one of those unapproachable people who wouldn’t even look me in the eye. She was looking for a tutor. I’m sure there were other students she could have asked. One of her “friends.” But, as she would later tell me, she was lonely and I was lonely, so it just made more sense. We became fast friends.

We spent every Wednesday evening of our junior year “studying” together. I think I maybe spent an hour just talking about art history before she told me she thought she understood now. I had thought that maybe I had rambled on too long, but when I looked at her something in her face told me she had hung onto every word. That was when I knew we’d be friends forever, despite our differences. 

I think maybe Gabriella is my only friend. It sounds sad, but I have acquaintances I hang around, like various children of my mother’s friends, but Gabi’s the only one who I’ve ever felt truly understood by. 

“So, do you want to go unpack, or just go straight to the beach?” Gabbi’s question shook me out of my thoughts. I realized I had been staring at my feet for a while. 

“Uh,” I thought quickly, “Well, it’s in between ten and two so being out in the sun probably isn’t the best idea for me right now. I’ll go unpack and then I think I should make a grocery list?”

“Oh, totally. We’ve been living off Mcdonalds and hot dogs for a while, so some home cooking would be much appreciated.” She was never one for cooking, so it was customary for me to be in charge of meals when I was around. I didn’t mind at all. I like eating the food I cook anyway, and it means I get to control the menu. I’m hopelessly picky.

“Any allergies?” I asked as we made our way to the house. As Gabriella listed off the allergens and preferences (Matt can’t have dairy, Yasmin doesn’t eat pork, etc, etc) I didn’t really listen. I wouldn’t be able to remember it anyways, so I’d make a list later. I took in the scenery instead. 

The house was positioned towards the road, and beyond where the road ended was a bit more forest and then the beach and the sea. The low green walls seemed to bend a little under the weight of the dark tin roof. Calico curtains were drawn shut behind each window to keep out the midday heat, blocking the view of the inside. A small window box, overgrown with weeds, accompanied each window. The house felt welcoming, and it was familiar, and to some extent, it felt like home.

The door was unlocked, and Gabbi opened it for me so I could bring my stuff inside. Before I could enter the foyer, Pappy bounded through the doorway excitedly, eager to explore. He had been here before, but he had been just a puppy. Gabbi and I entered, and I plopped my duffel bag down on the floor. I paused, letting my eyes adjust to the dim light.

“So, anyone claimed my room yet?” I asked. Normally I stayed in a small room in the attic, the only room with one bed in it. I was hesitant to share rooms with anyone other than Gabbi, so I had been worried about the sleeping arrangements being made without me there.

“Nope! I made sure of it. You aren’t exactly fun to be around if you don’t get enough sleep.” I wasn’t bothered by the teasing and sighed audibly with relief. Gabbi giggled.

“I really appreciate that.” Gabbi helped me lug my bag up the stairs to the little attic bedroom. The room was small and cosy, with an old, plush double bed tucked into the corner by a window. 

The roof sloped upwards, and a singular light bulb hung by a wire from the ceiling. An oak dresser stood beside the door. It had a few blankets folded on top of it, along with a couple of pale gray towels that Gabbi had set out for me. 

Pappy found his way to the bed, and looked at me as if asking for permission. I shook my head and waved my hand and he got the idea.

“Aw, poor Pappy. Is his bed in the car?”

“Oh shoot, it is. I’ll get it later.” 

“Alrighty then. You wanna head out to the beach? We’ve got a big umbrella set up, you could sit on a towel and just hang out. Oh, I’ve also got a couple of books checked out from the library. There’s one you might like. ‘The Gilda Stories’, have you heard of it?”

“Isn’t that like a vampire-” She interrupted me.

“Yah like a lesbian vampire thing. I’ve already finished it.”

“Oh, um sure.”


End file.
